The Country Boy and I have always tried to shop “responsibly”. We try to buy fair trade tea and coffee (and chocolate too now that Cadbury has come on board). We avoid purchasing products from companies whose ethics we don’t like (currently Cotton On is on the list as it recently launched a range of “back to school” items with references to porn – for young teenagers!!!), and we try to buy products that are made in Australia so that we are supporting local jobs and local primary producers. Being from a farm, this was always important to Country Boy.
We believe that what we buy is an important statement of our values. We know that by making wise choices about the products we buy we can encourage retailers and manufacturers to make positive decisions that support our community and our environment.
As part of this, we have always avoided buying store branded food (eg Woolworths Select), even if it meant paying a little bit more. When supermarkets sell store branded products, it affects the farmers as they are not payed as much for their products. To this end we have payed almost double for milk, rather than the $1 per litre that most supermarkets offer on their own brand.
I realise that we were in a fortunate position to be able to make these choices. I earned a reasonable income, and we don’t purchase a lot of processed foods (which cost more) because I mostly cook from scratch. We made sacrifices in other areas of our lives to uphold these principles.
Now that we have moved to the farm however, our financial situation has changed. I have taken leave from my job, and will be working only part time (and hoping to pick up some casual work on the other days). Country Boy has resigned from his job to move down here, and will be looking for some part time work too. So we have alot less money coming in.
This has got me thinking. It would be easy to save quite alot of money by buying store branded food. Yesterday we went to the supermarket in town to do a big stock up, which will last us several weeks (except bread, milk, fruit and vegetable which I can get at a smaller town close by). I was comparing the price of store branded foods and in many cases you can save several dollars on basic items such as flour, sugar, and canned goods. With an unsteady and reduced income, this would be an easy way to save money.
So my dilemma is this: I need to save money, but to do so compromises our philosophy! Are ethics and philosophies something only rich people can afford?
All thoughts and advice gratefully received (but please keep it polite!)!
I try not to buy store brands much at all , especially if not products of Australia. It is hard to make the decision when finances are tight – like ours too at the moment.
I am in awe of you , compromise can be a balancing act.
Oh wow, was so happy to read this! We own a convenience store in a nsw/qld border town and are so demoralised by the lack of support for Australians and their jobs at the moment. I can fully understand your conundrum and admit to being very frustrated by people in our town who are able to afford to shop at locally owned businesses yet continue to shop on line or at the big multinational in town. We are currently hoping to lease out our shop but I will continue to support the new owners and any locals that I can. The thought that Coles/Woolies want to bring in wheat from India to use for bread just makes my blood boil!! Well done on your principles and I fully agree that compromise might help you through.
I didn't know about the wheat Coles & Woolies were using. Where can I find out more about that?
Wow, I didn't know I was screwing over our farmers by buying a cheaper option.
I thought I was a genius because it meant less financial stress on our wallets.
I would cut back on other things to afford the necessities without compromising your ethics 🙂 good luck 🙂
Ethical choices are most definitely choices for the rich – but that is pretty much everyone living in Australia. Our standard of living is so incredibly high compared to the overwhelming majority of those who we share this planet with, and our lifestyles absorb resources in huge ways. It's hard to know where to start, but your choices to live more locally, simply and holistically will continue to challenge others I'm sure.
We've been experiencing this same dilemna, but in the end the easiest thing for us was to do what we thought right, the biggest example being buying Dairy Farmers milk rather than Coles/Woolies milk. We just decided not to buy soft drink, chips and non-fairtrade chocolate instead. Compromise worked best for us 🙂
Compromise. Pick a few items that you really dont want to skrimp on, like the milk for example, so you're still supporting Australian products, then buy other things from the cheaper brands. The important thing is that you DO think about these things Jo and are trying to teach your children good ideals, so many people dont even make it to that point!!
That is a really tough decision. It's important to have convictions, but unfortunately there are situations that place you in a tough spot like that. You're not alone in your dilemma.